U-Tech Beijing were the defending champions of the Collegiate Cup. But the tournament taking place this winter was not going well for them. They qualified to the main tournament in second place behind Team Beijing, who had completely outclassed them in every part of the game. Theyd made it all the way to the Semifinals, where they were up against Team Beijing again. This was supposed to be their redemption for what happened during the qualifiers. Theyd spent countless hours researching Team Beijing. They hired analysts from professional teams to help them develop new strategies against Team Beijing. The entire team had even taken a semester off from their University courses to get in as many practice hours as they possibly could. They fought so hard, and got so far. But in the end, it didnt even matter.

The players from U-Tech Beijing got up on stage at 9 A.M. The fans in the Chaoyang Sports Center cheered in support. The five from U-Tech Beijing usually took a moment to acknowledge this support, but not this day. For on this day, their eyes were on the soundproof booths and their minds were filled with the countless hours of practice that had led to the conclusion that they simply werent up to the task of beating Team Beijing. They were going to lose their title. They believed that, anyway.

Fifteen excruciating minutes passed in which the players from U-Tech Beijing sat behind their computers, waiting for the host to finish announcing them. They looked at each other for moral support, but no one knew how to offer that. Because they were winners; they didnt know how to deal with loss. When they entered the lobby, their team captain sighed and said over the teams voice chat, Lets just give it our all, guys. Those kids over there he nodded with his head towards Team Beijing. ... Theyre just kids. Maybe the pressure will get to them and we can cheese our way through this.

Theyre basically a top LSPL team U-Tech Beijings Jungler muttered, defeated.

U-Tech Beijings team captain grimaced and responded, And were basically an LSPL team. He briefly paused, letting that bit of information settle in with his teammates. He then continued, Those guys at the bottom in the LSPL, they dont give up. Despite their odds, despite everything and oftentimes everyone being against them, they dont give up. They go up on stage and they play their damndest! We need to do that today. Not to win this series, but to prove to ourselves that we are, in fact, an LSPL worthy team. Lets show everyone we have that backbone. And if Team Beijing messes up? Were winning this.

U-Tech Beijings ad-carry nodded, at first slowly but then faster. He grinned and clenched his fist and said, Youre right. Weve been so focused on how to beat them and realising we cant beat them when they go all out that weve lost the bigger picture. No one is at their best every series. Upsets do happen. When we give it our all in this series, the worst case scenario is that we give up. Not fighting at all, that would be a shame.

Yes! U-Tech Beijings Toplaner exclaimed. He narrowed his eyes, smiled and said, My stomach is going crazy, and not because I just had coffee! My arms are shaking and look, just look at my hands! Theyre trembling like crazy! But thats good, thats fine. I like this feeling. We might go down, but well go down fighting. FOR U-TECH!

FOR U-TECH! the four other members from U-Tech Beijing echoed their Toplaner.

TheBrawnster grabbed his microphone and said, Yo, yo yo! Its your boy TheBrawnster here, bringing you this amazing semis with his best girl PufPuf! He turned to look at PufPuf and continued, Yo girl, whatcha thinkin bout this series?

Only that its gonna be ahmazing, of course! PufPuf shrieked in her high pitched voice. She smiled and asked, You must be so excited to be here! You get to cast two Beijing teams!

TheBrawnster nodded, grinning. He said, Its an honour, really. Im a proud Beijing local myself and to see two title contenders fighting it out for a spot in the finals I cant begin to tell you how great this feels! Just a shame its only the semis. Ive seen the other two teams Lets just say Beijing has the most talent. This couldve made for a great Finals!

PufPuf giggled and replied, I sense some of that famous Beijing superiority there! But youve got every right to! Beijing really has two of the best teams with U-Tech Beijing and Team Beijing! Oh, oh! Enough talking! She turned her head to look at the camera, paused briefly for dramatic effect, and then shrieked, Let the games begin!

The first game was full of fireworks. Team Beijing started with a Level 1 invade, catching U-Tech Beijings Jungler completely out of position. The kill went to Yu Pings Fizz. He recalled back to base and bought a second Dorans Ring. That gave him a big edge over his lane opponent, which culminated in a kill at Level 3. A few minutes later, U-Tech Beijing tried to put a stop to Yu Pings Fizz. But the gank went wrong very fast when Yu Ping dashed towards a minion and used it to reach Level 6. He unlocked his ultimate skill and when megalodon jumped through the portal and knocked both Champions from U-Tech Beijing up into the air, the game was as good as played. Team Beijing was up 1-0.

Team Beijing carried their momentum from the first game into the second. Their Top- and Botlaners found a boost in confidence after watching Yu Ping carry them to an easy win, and they used that confidence to make plays they would usually hesitate on. But U-Tech Beijing didnt let Team Beijing walk all over them. They retreated, allowed towers to fall, and used a turtle strategy to get themselves mentally into the game. Not to win the second one, that one was quickly slipping from their grasp, but to be ready to come out swinging in the third. They managed to drag the second game for nearly 50 minutes, when Yu Ping found an opening and helped Team Beijing ace U-Tech Beijing. Team Beijing went up 2-0.

U-Tech Beijing found their stride in the third game, while Team Beijing felt their nerves tickling them just enough to put them off balance. U-Tech Beijings Midlaner realised that there was nothing to gain in the mid lane, because Yu Ping was just too good. So he roamed bot and top and helped those lanes get the advantage they needed to beat their lane opponents. When the teamfights came around in the mid game, U-Tech Beijing was far enough ahead to beat Team Beijing to every major objective. Including at 34 minutes when they slew Baron Nashor. That boost was the final push U-Tech Beijing needed to close the game out.

The third game was a wakeup call for Team Beijing. Mistakes they usually never made had slipped in and Yu Ping was furious with his teammates over that. He admonished them in the short break between the games and warned his teammates to be ready for the next game. And ready they were. The fourth game was the strongest performance by Team Beijing up to that point in the entire tournament. They rose to a new level entirely as they deconstructed U-Tech Beijing. It only took them 27 minutes to destroy the towers, kill the Baron and ace U-Tech Beijing on top of their fountain. Team Beijing won the Semifinals against U-Tech Beijing convincingly with a 3-1 final score!

TheBrawnster shouted into his microphone, WOOOOOO! What a performance, yo! Fuckin sick! These two teams, you know, LSPL WORTHY! IM WAITING TO SEE ALL OF THEM GO PRO!

PufPuf nodded and shrieked, U-Techs team is a bit older, but Team Beijing Oh my god! Can you believe it? Theyre high schoolers! Theyre, like, BARELY LEGAL!

TheBrawnster looked at PufPuf and laughed. He then said into his microphone, Barely legal indeed. These 18 year old kids are throwing the Chinese esports scene upside down! I can tell you all one thing, IM A PROUD BEIJING LOCAL! Were gonna get some mad talent flooding the LSPL, the LPL and holy damn, were gonna win Worlds one of these years! Ive said it! Beijing has the talent! WERE GOIN TO WORLDS! He briefly paused, putting his hand to his chest to feel his heart slamming against his ribcage. The voice from a staff member sounded from his earpiece, reminding him about the second Semifinals. He scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. He coughed and continued, Yo, yo! I almost forgot! Beijing isnt the only talented side here! Weve got another semifinals and another high school team! Stick around because right after lunch weve got another great series lined up! Fudan University and Team Shanghai from East China are going to fight for the second Finals spot! Its gonna be sick!

It was 2 P.M. when the players from Fudan University, under the loud applause of the audience, walked up on stage and took place in their soundproof booths. They were in a good mood, all five of them. Theyd practiced with Zhejiang University, rehearsed their different tactics and analysed every game from Team Shanghai. Fudan Universitys Toplaner looked at his teammates and said, Alright, guys! Weve got this! Ill stomp that Zhang Hao guy just like I did in the East China Regionals Finals and then were going through!

Heck yeah! Fudan Universitys Support cheered.

Qiu Yijie nodded and was about to reply when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. Crap! Forgot to turn that damn thing off. He shook his head and grabbed his phone, glancing at the screen to see what the message was about.

Aurous:Yo kid. Good luck with the game. Just remember, theres no shame in losing. Try your best and keep your head up.

Qiu Yijie scrunched his eyebrows and mumbled, What? He started typing a response and then paused, hesitating. Why does it sound like he thinks were going to lose? Why would he say this right before our game? Am I misreading this? Does he mean something

You ready, cappie? Fudan Universitys Jungler asked over the teams voice chat.

Qiu Yijie looked up and nodded. He turned his phone to silent and put it away, then focused on the screen. Of course theres no shame in losing Why would he? He shook his head and grabbed his mouse. Dont think about it. The games come first and then I can ask him what the hell that message was about. He glanced at his teammates and asked, Ready?

Ready to rock n ROLL! the players from Fudan University replied, grinning.

Qiu Yijie laughed and shouted, Just like the Regional Finals! Were going to win this series!

Across the stage in Team Shanghais soundproof booth, Zeng Rui was giving a few more instructions to his teammates. But it all took too long for Lin Feng. He kept glancing at the time on his monitor and shifted around in his gaming chair. What is it? Zeng Rui asked over the teams voice chat, annoyed. Is this too boring for you, Maple?

No, no, its not that! Lin Feng replied. He scratched the back of his head and continued, Its just. Eh, you see Uhm, I still need to finish climbing the Korean Ranked ladder. So the faster we get this series over, the faster I can go back to that!

Zeng Rui looked at Lin Feng, incredulous, and muttered, W-what?

An Xin shook her head and said, Idiot.

Zhang Hao turned his head and looked at Lin Feng. He played all day yesterday, and all night! He played when we were already in bed and when we got up in the morning he was playing again! And now look at him! Hes still all fired up! He wants to play! He really wants to get going! How is he so calm? I wish I could be that excited and that... unworried? Worryfree? Shit it must be great to be the Maple! He nodded, grinning, and exclaimed, Hes right! Lin Feng is right! LETS GET GOIN! WE GONNA WIN THIS SERIES! WOOOOOOO!

Qiu Yijie slumped back in his gaming chair and pulled his phone from his pocket. He looked at the text from Aurous again and sighed loudly. What the fuck just happened? It went so fast It all happened so fast Its over. Were done. The blink of a fucking eye and were out. Thats how it feels. It feels like I blinked and suddenly BOOM IM OUT! DAMMIT! How did this happ He focused on his phone. Aurous was typing something.

Aurous:Its okay, kid. No shame in losing to him.

Fudan Universitys Toplaner put his hand on Qiu Yijies shoulder and said, Come, bud. Its okay. Shit happens. Lets go and congratulate them.

Qiu Yijie nodded, despondent. He held his phone in his hand and read the two messages from Aurous again and again, letting his teammates walk him up on stage. When he arrived in the middle of the stage, he bowed to the players from Team Shanghai. His teammates turned around and started walking away, but he remained where he was. Team Shanghai was already moving to thank the audience, but he reached out his hand towards Lin Feng and asked, Do you know Aurous?

Lin Feng looked at Qiu Yijie in confusion and asked, Who?

Qiu Yijie shook his head and replied, No, no one. Sorry. Congratulations.

Lin Feng grinned and clenched his fist. He said, You played really well! With a bit more practice, you can make it pro! Keep at it!

Qiu Yijie, come, Fudan Universitys Toplaner said, pulling his team captain away from the stage.

Yeah, yeah, Qiu Yijie replied to his teammate. He followed them off the stage, but then paused. He turned around and looked at Lin Feng again, at the kid grinning brightly and waving at the crowd as if hed done it a thousand times before. Everyone else looks uncomfortable and nervous. What is it about him? He read the messages from Aurous again and shook his head. We lost 3-1, but I lost 4-0 to him How did he do that? I got stomped!

Aurous looked at his chat with Qiu Yijie, waiting for a reply from his student. Come on, kid. Im watching the stream. I know youre looking at my messages. Just say youre okay. You got wrecked by Maple. And I wouldve got wrecked by him too. Just like Shi Hang got wrecked. He breathed out loudly and called Shi Hang. When the line connected, he said, 3-1. Couldve Wouldve been 3-0 if his teammates didnt screw up that second game. Knowing who he is and watching him play I really wanted to see Fudan win this year...

Ah, cheer up! Shi Hang answered, laughing. Dont be such a downer! It was a great show Maple put on! Isnt it something else when you watch him play? Ill tell you, its a real experience to play against him! You should try it!

Aurous clicked his tongue in annoyance and said, Hey, jackass! Can you let me sulk for a minute here? My team just got knocked out! We lost because of one damn player who shouldnt even be playing on a high school team!

Well, technically Shi Hang started, chuckling. He then continued, Its okay, bud. Im here. You can vent to me for a bit and Ill pretend to listen.

Jackass, Aurous replied. Why do you sound so relaxed anyway? Dont you have a big game today? Or did you play already? Shit. You did, didnt you? How did it go? Did you beat KG?